[dcb]

It was already very cold in the mountains. I installed a Chinese Diesel Heater in the Toyota Sienna.
The diesel heater was of 2K watts. Even though it was the smallest diesel heater on the market, It was still too big for the Sienna because the space inside the minivan was very small. The Chinese Diesel heater worked very well. It was very warm all night. The heater was bought for $107 from ebay, it was very well worth of the money. View attachment 47570 View attachment 47570

I'm thinking of doing this - how did you vent the exhaust gases out of the trunk?

 

[dashan]

I'm thinking of doing this - how did you vent the exhaust gases out of the trunk?

The exhaust gases never enter the trunk.

So, do you just live a life of driving around the Country in a mini-van? Sounds like a great retirement to me, but I would think it would give my wife too many rural camping areas to bury my body when she can't put up with me anymore!

I am still working full time. I just took a few month off

 

[dashan]

Replace the rubber of spare tire. Tire size 155/90R16
Went to Goodyear tire store, they refused to do the replacement. Went to Midas, they did it. Chatted with the store main guy (owner?) Rafaya about camping. Rafaya insisted on doing the tire replacement for free. So I don't know how much it regularly costs to do it.

 

[BillG]

Replace the rubber of spare tire. Tire size 155/90R16
Went to Goodyear tire store, they refused to do the replacement. Went to Midas, they did it. Chatted with the store main guy (owner?) Rafaya about camping. Rafaya insisted on doing the tire replacement for free. So I don't know how much it regularly costs to do it.

Most gas stations used to do things like this for $5. Then it went up to $10 and then $15 and then $20 but if the person doing the asking was female, it was usually back down to $10. I'd always have my then-girlfriend take the tire in whenever I picked up a nail and needed it plugged. One place I used to go to get tires used to mount/balance however many tires you were purchasing for a flat fee of $20, but the last time I had tires mounted and balanced, it was $31/ea.

 

[bencahill]

Most gas stations used to do things like this for $5. Then it went up to $10 and then $15 and then $20 but if the person doing the asking was female, it was usually back down to $10. I'd always have my then-girlfriend take the tire in whenever I picked up a nail and needed it plugged. One place I used to go to get tires used to mount/balance however many tires you were purchasing for a flat fee of $20, but the last time I had tires mounted and balanced, it was $31/ea.

Funny you mention a lower price for female customers. Nowadays all I hear about are jacked-up prices for ladies, with people hoping to pull a fast one and rip them off. 😕

 

[dashan]

Traveling back home for the holiday, stayed one night at the service area. It was 20F degree outside temperature, the Chinese diesel heater did a great job in heating the Sienna, it made a sleeping in the very cold environment very comfortable.
The spare tire releasing nut is directly under my bed and the factory crank lever is too long to fit in and release the spare tire, I hammer 🔨 the pentagonal socket into a 12point, 1" socket so I can use the power drill to release the spare tire.

 

[dashan]

Being able to make a hot coffee in the van is a luxury.

 

[dashan]

So I flipped the 18-

gallon tote upside down so that I can tilted the third row seats more to a comfortable position when seating.

 

[dashan]

This was the first time that the Chinese diesel heater 2KW wass not strong enough to heat the Sienna minivan. The outside temperature was 0 F, wind-chill was -19 F. The Chinese heater was on its highest output. The inside minivan temperature reached only 50 F.

 

[rwvuletic]

50F sounds a lot better than -19F. It's kind of like camping. You're not going to be comfortable like at home, but you're not going to freeze to death.

 

[dashan]

The Walmart Battery is two year old, and it still starts the car well in the first try in this cold weather. I disabled all the auto sliding door, lift gate, etc, to reduce the battery power consumption.

 

[Oldwolf]

How is your trip going? Any news to report?

Sent from my SM-F711U using Tapatalk

 

[dashan]

Snow and the Sienna

 

[dashan]

White Mountain National Forest, NH. camping and hiking.

 

[dashan]

 

[dashan]

Snow storm again in the northeast.
Those crampons helped a lot in hiking in the deep snow.

 

[dashan]

Massachusetts State park Wompatuck campground.
The campground is big and quiet. It was early in the season so not too many people. It is a nice place to escape the city and walk around.

 

[dashan]

The Charles Street Jail House was converted to a hotel, called The Liberty Hotel, Near Mass General Hospital in Boston, Mass. The rate was $445 for one night.

 

[BillG]

The Charles Street Jail House was converted to a hotel, called The Liberty Hotel, Near Mass General Hospital in Boston, Mass. The rate was $445 for one night.

Stayed there a few times in the off-season. My wife got us $150/night one weekend and $180 another time. I was not a fan of the bathroom doors with the roller-style tracks instead of an actual closing door. Can't beat how close to everything it is, though.

 

[dashan]

Stayed there a few times in the off-season. My wife got us $150/night one weekend and $180 another time. I was not a fan of the bathroom doors with the roller-style tracks instead of an actual closing door. Can't beat how close to everything it is, though.

$150/night was a great rate. But I also heard that some guys got even better rates for long term stay, like $0 for staying for several years with complimentary breakfasts and dinners. I am not sure whether the lunch was included or not.